Abby Coers recounts her wonderfully miserable day at the Boston Marathon

[April 24, 2018] 

A first-hand account of the race as recorded by Abby Coers.

Woke up at 6am on Marathon Monday, posted on Instagram about how ready I was to run the Boston Marathon today and text back a couple friends who sent messages about the race. Getting out of bed I peaked out the window to see a dreary day, but it didn’t look like rain (it was raining although I didn’t see it). I knew I was going to make this race mine, semi-chilly day, a little rain, eh this may actually be a great day for a 26.2 mile run..I thought.

Met my amazing support team who traveled to Boston (Mom, Steve & Dana, Amy, Christy, Debbie) in the hotel lobby to get some photos and I loved that they walked me to the bus in the pouring down rain, it certainly added to the experience. We walked from Copley Square Hotel to the Boston Commons in the torrential downpour. Within one block our umbrella’s were flipping inside out and the rain was soaking through our shoes. It didn’t phase me though, I knew for sure this rain would stop and we’d have a great day for the Boston Marathon (it didn’t).

Mark told me to meet him at public transportation station on the far east corner of Boston Commons so I ran across the block, looked around, didn’t see him. Walked into the where the steps go underground. Where the heck is Mark?! Looking around the corner, rain pouring, looked back inside and there he was. “MAAAARK” I yelled. He looked over and I saw a smirk on his face and a ‘let’s go’ jump to his step. I knew despite the weather we would make it a fun and memorable race.

We meet mom, Steve, Amy, Christy, and Debbie to say goodbye, got photos, and headed through security to get on the bus. All the seats were getting filled except the front row. Why? Who knows..we took the front seats. First row on the bus gets off first at Athlete’s village and first to get a spot under the tent while we wait!

The bus ride went by really quickly. A 26.2+ mile drive from Boston Commons to Athlete Village in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. We talked about the race, I was so optimistic. We were going to rock this run. The rain was just a distraction, a challenge that we can accept and accomplish. The runners on the bus were drenched, and the windows were all fogging up.

Athlete’s Village! We made it!! Let’s get off this bus! The rain continued and it’s cold in Hopkinton. I mean really cold. We walked on the pavement as long as possible but eventually had to get off the path to go into the tent to wait for the start of our wave. I thought I was prepared with a large trashbag, heat blanket, and poncho. I was wrong. We walked toward the tent and Mark in front of me, he walked straight into the muddy mess. I mean not even mud, like a swampy mud puddle but over 20-30 ft. Mark turned around looking for me and said ‘let’s go’ I said ‘I’m not walking in that’ and then I knew I had so something told me just go for it. My feet were like sponges after that, walking in watered down socks.

We went toward the middle of the tent so we could sit on a trashbag on a flat, dry surface. I got a bagel and banana for us to eat while we waited for our color Blue to be called. We sat there on a trashbag with trashbags over us and heat blankets as close to our body as we could. Deciding to take our shoes off to possibly warm the feet up, I put a trashbag over my feet to warm them up. That was unsuccessful and my shoes were super cold to put them back on!

I spotted two girls with a blanket and unfortunately their bib colors would be called after us so we wouldn’t be getting their warm blanket. Bummer.

The called the color Blue. Mark and I looked at each other. Should we go? Yep, let’s go! It’s a ¾ mile walk to the start line and a cold one at that! The wind blew and the rain pelted at our faces. Luckily I kept that poncho on!

There is one more porta potty stop on your way to the start line so we stopped there before the start. We got held up from the porta potty station to the road, they wouldn’t let the blue bibs go so we stood there for a while. Finally we were released and Mark and I started walking to the start line. We just kept walking and I said ‘That’s the start line!!!!! Like the real painted start line!” I’ve wanted to see this so bad for the past two years I’ve run. It’s hard to see when you’re in a group of thousands of runners and you’re running over it all at once, but this time no one was in front of me but a line of volunteers. HOW FREAKING COOL!!

I said to a guy with a mic on, “Is that the start? Do we just start?” and he said “Yep, go ahead.” So Mark did the same thing I did I said ‘That’s the start’ and he asked a volunteer…that’s the start? We were both in shock to be at this point. After the announcer said we could go, we went to the side to take our ponchos off to begin running and within that time the volunteers had a line with a rope that held us back. Wave 3 began in 10 minutes and that was us so we ended up waiting at the front, seeing the painted start line, and volunteers with a rope holding the thousands of runners back. The volunteers went to the side to get us ponchos and garbage bags with holes to wear to keep warm until the start. We could feel that wind and boy was it brutal. At least I could feel something because I certainly couldn’t feel my toes.

But wait, a guy peaked his head out of a window from the announcer stand with the starting line gun in his hand. I told Mark that it was the starting gun, how cool!!! I was so excited to see all this!!

The gun went off and we began running. Finally, it seemed like!! My body was moving and hopefully warming up. The first mile is an obvious downhill. We got to mile one and Mark said “wow we just ran a 7:50 min/mile.” Well no wonder why my lungs hurt with a 35 mile per hour wind at our face, and rain. I tried slowing down, who knows if I did. My arm sleeves covered my watch so I didn’t look at pace all race. I didn’t care about my pace. Mark and I only ran mile one together.

Usually my toes thaw out on cold runs about 2 miles in, and my body starts to get warm within the first mile. Not in this race. My toes didn’t have feeling for a good 5 miles, and my body never warmed up. At mile 4 something didn’t feel right. The temperature wasn’t horrible but the rain and wind made it brutal and seem much much colder. I just didn’t feel normal. The plan was to throw my gloves off a mile in and throw my sleeves off about halfway. I rolled my sleeves down at about mile 5 and took my gloves off about mile 6. I tried keeping my gloves in the waist of my tights but they kept sliding and were very wet so I threw them to the side. It only took a mile before the wind was so intense that my hands were cold, cold, cold. I clasped them together close to my chest and blew warm air to just get some feeling. Unsuccessful. Do I put them under my armpits to warm up? But my clothes was so wet it was sticking to my body so that wouldn’t work. Another runner all of a sudden was beside me and offered me a heat blanket poncho to warm my hands. God-sent for sure!!!

Miles 12.5-13 was filled with the Wellesley Girls which is always funs to read their signs and hear the screams in the scream tunnel. Very distracting, and it was amazing to see the spectators out despite the weather.

I ran with that poncho around my hands for a couple miles before I saw another girl in the same position with her hands clasped and shivering. I gave her the poncho and ran on. Again, I was shivering on the run and my core would just not get warm. My hands were the worst part. It was about mile 14 at this point. There was a lady behind me who asked a policeman if he had anything to keep her hands warm and he said ‘no.’ Literally about 10 steps forward there was a spectator who said ‘I do!!’ so I turned real quick and the spectator put socks on both my hands and the other runners hands.

What a difference that made! I got a little more comfortable but still could feel a huge chill in the core of my body. Ugh. Just get me to the finish. I didn’t care my pace, the rain was coming down hard, the wind was fast, and the cold made it easy for nothing to hurt on my body since I couldn’t feel it. Hey, I’m in Boston though…this is great! I’m running the Boston Marathon I kept telling myself…amazing!!

Mile 17 began the Newton Hills and I saw Mark!!! He was in a red poncho and I thought I thought ‘awesome, I get to run these hills with Mark.’ I went up to him and told him “hey! Do I get to run these hills with you?” We both were struggling. He told me he picked the poncho up off the ground. It was pouring rain and the wind was just pushing straight at our faces. The ponchos were flying back as we were trying to propel forward. We separated after our small conversation. We were both in our own race and the goal was to get to that finish line.

The hills were fun. I love running hills. It gives me a challenge. I have to run up these hills. I’m not walking uphills. Just pretend like it’s a hill on a training run. The supporters on the Newton hills are amazing! The hills are a couple miles and that was great to keep this race going and bring on the finish line closer.

Mile 20, where the heck is the mile 21 sign? Seemed like it took forever!! Ugh..FINALLY there it is. Six miles left. Let’s do this!!

Miles 23-26.2 are my favorite. That’s 3.2 miles, .1 miles of a warm up and then a 5k. I love the last 3.1 miles because it’s fun to put myself in other people’s shoes. Those who run 5k’s that are just starting out struggle a bit, 3.1 miles is a long way for beginners and the last 3.1 miles of my marathons, I run strong because I know that some feel this way running 5k’s.

I’m running, in my own distracting world and look up to see the Citgo sign. Oh what a sight. A beautiful sight. In the Boston Marathon when you can see the Citgo sign it means you’re one mile away from the finish. So excited and smiling. This has been such a fun experience, but one I’m ready to complete.

Mile 25.2, the paint on the road said “1 mile to go”. I get to the bridge before the turn to Herford and on to Boyleston. This is where Julie (Mark’s wife) was stopped in 2013 when the bombing went off. I took my headphones out to enjoy the crowd’s screaming and cheering. This last mile is for her. For the mile she couldn’t run of the race in 2013.

Keep running Abby, you got this, who cares how hard it is..this moment I will never get back. I ran, and ran, and ran some more. Turned on Hereford, ran up the road to Boyleston, turned on Boyleston and saw the downhill elevation. HALLELUJAH I saw rows of flags, and people lining the road all the way to the finish. My eyes spotted the finish line. It was pretty far ahead but I kept my eyes on there. I smiled the entire run on Boyleston street. Passed each store and knew I was getting closer, Prudential Center, Towne, Adidas Store, Lenox, closer, closer, closer.

There’s the finish line and I could see the clock’s time ticking. I didn’t know what the time was, I didn’t care, I ran in each mile. The clock showed that I was at a 3:51 and I’m okay with that. Not a personal best, not even close to a personal best. I did, however, break a personal record that day though, a personal record for the coldest and worse weather conditions ever raced in. 26.2 miles with 30-35 mph wind straight to my face, rain pelting on my skin to downpours, all in 3 hours and 51 minutes. Boston Marathon 2018…this medal means so much to me!

Crossed the finish line, got my medal, a rain poncho jacket put on me and I text my support team at the hotel that just said ‘hotel soon’ and I asked for directions to the Copley Square Hotel. A little shivering on the way back, but walking into the hotel lobby meeting six of the most supportive people…my mom, Steve, Dana, Amy, Christy, and Debbie. Wow. Just wow. I was so happy to see them!! Amazing support and forever grateful for them!!

Abby and her fellow runner from Mt. Zion

All in all, this was a memorable race. It’s the Boston Marathon. I ran the Boston Marathon for my 3rd consecutive time!! The weather just made it even more fun. A race I’ll never forget. I got to ride the bus, run mile 1 and enter the town of Newton with an amazing runner and friend, Mark Rotz, be greeted after the race by my amazing friends/family, and run the most prestigious race in marathon history!! Qualifying for the Boston Marathon has been a dream ever since I started running and to think I’ve qualified and ran three times now. Awesome!!

Time: 3:51:08 // Qualified at Mountains 2 Beach in Ventura, CA with a time of 3:30:29 six weeks after running Boston 2017.

*Mark Rotz is from Mt. Zion, IL in the Decatur Running Club with me
**Julie is Mark’s wife. She battled breast cancer and ran in the 2013 Boston Marathon.
**My mom has been to 12/14 of my marathons. I’ve run 14 full marathons.

Awesome Friends/Supporters who traveled to Boston to cheer me on: Mila Coers (mom), Steve Schmidt (boss, Central IL Ag) & Dana Scheller, Amy Unzicker, Christy Unzicker, Debbie Harris

[ABBY COERS]